Ways To Overcome A Weight Loss Plateau

We all start out like gangbusters. When you finally make the commitment to lose weight, you go at it with all you have. The best feeling is to start seeing the results from your hard work. Dropping pounds is the best motivation out there. The problem is that no matter who you are, or how you are losing weight, there is going to be a point along the way when you hit something called a “plateau”. No matter what way you are losing weight, what diet you are trying, or what exercise regimen you are engaging in, there is going to be a period of settling when the weight stops coming off as quickly.

When that happens, it is not uncommon for people to give up and think that it isn’t worth it. After all your hard work, hitting a brick wall can curb even the best of weight loss intentions. Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater, there are ways to overcome weight loss plateaus and to get back on track. If you want to start seeing the scale go down again, try these tricks to kick start your weight loss.

8 ways to jumpstart your weight loss

1. Try a new exercise class

If you have been working out to lose weight, chances are that you are doing the same thing. Most novice exercisers, or those who are only doing it to lose weight, do the same things in their routine daily. When you do the same thing, your body begins to get used to it. Before you know it the two mile run that you have worked hard to get up to, does nothing for you, and you find yourself not benefiting from it anymore. The thing that you have to do is to mix it up and try something new. Going outside the box and starting to try something that you aren’t accustomed to, can help to get you back on your weight loss track.

2. Fast for a day

If you have hit a plateau in your weight loss, it may be time to fast for a day. It may seem like a really difficult thing to do, but your body may be adjusting to the drop in calories. Take a day to cleanse your system by eating nothing but clear liquids, giving your body a break to reboot and start over. Take the day off of exercising and make sure to up your hydration, but take 24 hours to let your system rest and to start anew.

3. Eat more

If you are on a diet and have hit a plateau, there is a chance that you have cut your calories too greatly. When you cut your calories too much, your body reads it as starvation and goes into the evolutionary “starvation” mode. That means that it literally slows down or shuts down altogether. When your body isn’t getting enough nutrients, it compensates by slowing down the metabolism. What that means is that you have to eat less and less to lose weight. Before you know it you are eating bread and water and gaining weight. If you are drastically cutting calories, and just can’t seem to start taking weight off again, then start to increase your nutritional intake by about 100 calories a day for three days. Your body should start to compensate, and your metabolism will kick start.

4. Try circuit training

Circuit training the best way to jumpstart your weight loss goals. If you aren’t used to that form of exercise that is even better. Circuit training is quick bursts of energy followed by slow periods of recovery. When you work your body in this manner, it takes extra energy to continue to go from zero to full intensity. That taxes the body and will help to burn more calories quickly. It will also help to gain lean muscle mass to speed up your metabolism.

5. Cut the carbs

If you haven’t already, try cutting out the carbs in your diet. Carbs quickly turn to sugar in the body and can cause insulin spikes. If you are eating low-fat foods, they may contain a large amount of simple carbohydrates, which is making you have constant blood sugar level fluctuations. That may be making your body store sugar as fat, and it may be making you feel hungry all the time. If you have hit a plateau, cut the carbs and up the lean protein and good fats.

6. Give yourself a rest

If you have hit a plateau, it may be that you are overtraining. In an effort to drop weight, you may be working your body too hard. If you aren’t giving your body and muscles time to recuperate, they can’t rebuild, and it may be keeping your weight on. If you are overtraining you are not only opening yourself up to illness, you are hitting a plateau that you can’t come off of. Overtraining leads to weight gain and a compromised immune system. Taken four days to a week off of your workout. It may be hard to do, but it will help to jumpstart your weight loss when you return again.

7. Get some rest

When you are perpetually tired, your body begins to think that you are headed for hibernation, no, seriously. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, it may be making you fat. If you have increased your workouts but haven’t compensated by getting enough rest to rebuild, you are creating a situation where your body may be hoarding calories for the hibernation period ahead. Instead of focusing on spending more time at the gym, think about getting to bed a little earlier or sleeping in later. Getting sleep is important to rejuvenate the body and to have to work efficiently.

8. Introduce some weights

If you are only doing aerobic exercise, you have to incorporate some weight lifting. The best way to increase your metabolism is to build lean muscle mass, which signals the body to burn more calories quicker. To get back on track, start lifting weights a minimum of two days per week to really see the benefit.